Friday, 14 October 2016

the rise of the apple and the fall of the oak ...

Sunday
Early morning. We drove down to the lake for a stroll in the autumn sunshine; the air was chilled in the shadows but the sun was bright. The water level was still very low; we have had hardly any rain for weeks. On the spit of land a gaggle of Canada geese preening and resting. The water still and calm.

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We walked further along the lane, and there just around the bend, my favourite oak tree; a lopsided old thing with winky-wonky branches. But all was not well. The trunk had split and there was a gut-wrenching open wound.

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I loved that old tree and always take a photograph of it when we are down there; a kind of tradition.

Now, half the tree lying on the ground - only fit for firewood - such a shame - I felt really sad.

Monday
Spent the morning pruning the Amelanchier which had outgrown its space. My neighbour came round with foxglove self-seeders which I planted beneath it now that there is some room. I have finally come to the end of the garden restoration project - it is far too tidy for my liking, as if it is minding its manners - but this time next year I know I will be doing it all over again.

Amelanchier at its best in June of this year

(I won't show you a picture of it after pruning too depressing :()

Tuesday
When I left home to go shopping this morning the fog was really thick; by the time I had driven five miles to town, the sun was out and it was really warm; when I returned home an hour later it was almost as foggy as when I left; how can the weather change over such a small distance. The garden furniture has been oiled and stored away for winter - a sure sign that summer is over.

As I drove past the hedgerows they were full of colour from the blackberries and bryony berries, draped like Christmas garlands.

Friday
Apple picking time. The Bramley cooking apples were ready. I picked at the lower level; Dave picked right at the top. This is the best year I have had with this tree and have had to wait twenty five years or more, since I planted it, for a really good harvest. There is something about climbing into a tree; hanging on to the scaly trunk and smelling the sweet, green, fragrance of the apples; bringing back happy childhood memories. There is plenty of fruit to see us through the winter and to share with friends and neighbours. Plenty for pies and crumbles and sauces and for my favourite - Eve's Pudding.

And, so the sun sets on another fruitful week.

Autumn Song - Mary Oliver

In the deep fall
don’t you imagine the leaves think how
comfortable it will be to touch
the earth instead of the
nothingness of air and the endless
freshets of wind? And don’t you think
the trees themselves, especially those with mossy,
warm caves, begin to think

of the birds that will come — six, a dozen — to sleep
inside their bodies? And don’t you hear
the goldenrod whispering goodbye,
the everlasting being crowned with the first
tuffets of snow? The pond
vanishes, and the white field over which
the fox runs so quickly brings out
its blue shadows. And the wind pumps its
bellows. And at evening especially,
the piled firewood shifts a little,
longing to be on its way.

51 comments:

Gorgeous apples. How marvellous to grow your own. That oak tree was such a gorgeous shape - it almost had a Japanese slant to it. So many lovely scenes to photograph in the autumn. Wonderful blackberries too!

It has been a good year for fruit this year - I have several trees in the garden and they all have performed very well - which isn't the case every year. I agree about the shape of the oak tree, alas, its lop-sidedness was its downfall.

These are beautiful pictures, Elaine, and you tell a very real and touching story of the oak tree.

We had a crab apple tree in our backyard for the longest time. It developed some sort of disease and we had yo have it cut down. I missed the shade and the scent of the ripening apples. Your post brought back memories! :)

Lovely photos of your autumn countryside and harvest. How sad to see the oak fall. I have such a love for oaks, I always take time to look at them. Your one had such a striking shape. We've plenty of apples here but I'm so disappointed in the blackberries; they were tiny. I don't know why - they should have been well pollinated. It must have been the drought.

It's always sad when a well loved and familiar tree is irrevocably damaged Elaine :( I really enjoyed the poem. I've never thought of what it must be like from a leaf's perspective to be dangling down in mid air for the majority of it life before being jettisoned down to a relatively warm and soft earth. What bliss!

I have had to wait a long time for such a good crop - there are just as many apples that fell off as the ones we picked - I have a recipe for Windfall Marmalade made from apples - I might give it a go seeing as we have so many.

Great harvest. I am still dealing with apples. I'll freeze some more tomorrow. Had apple crisp for supper tonight. Old trees do break our hearts don't they? Even the mighty oaks grow old fall apart. A bit of a life lesson, isn't it? Enjoy your fall days.

These Bramleys will keep hopefully overwinter so I won't have to process them all. But I will make some into sauce so that I can freeze it. Yes, very sad about the tree - it must have been a strong wind that finished it off. The hedgerow just won't look the same without it.

How wonderful to have a full-grown tree that you planted yourself; I always think that you need to be a very patient person to plant a tree.Poor old oak, such a beauty and such an untimely end. Not far from where I live is a 1000-year old oak tree, recognised as one of the 50 great trees of the UK and dedicated to Her majesty Queen Elizabeth in her Jubilee Year, The Darley Oak. http://www.ancient-tree-hunt.org.uk/discoveries/newdiscoveries/2009/The+Darley+OakI hope it still has many years left.

A couple of years ago I thought about chopping it down because it just wasn't giving us any apples, I'm glad I didn't now. I don't think my oak tree was anywhere near that old but because it had grown lopsided I think that was its downfall - shame 'cos it was a beauty.

Oh, it's heartbreaking seeing a beloved tree come down, I had a favourite in the Lakes and was horrified to see it down after an awful storm. At least you have beautiful pictures of it. I wish I could pass all my apples to you, most of them rot on the lawn, or what passses as a lawn, I'm hopeless at baking but do pass some around the neighbours. My old tree has thousands of apples on it every year, it must be about fifty years old, no doubt yours will do really well each year now. I loved the berries! Gorgeous!xxx

Dear Elaine I am so amazed that you have blackberries this time of the year. Ours always are done in mid August. Too you have Canada geese. I would have thought they were strictly on our side of the ocean. How neat! Now when I see ours fly over I will know you are seeing some too. Those apples look wonderful. We are enjoying them here too. Such beautiful pictures and lovely autumn song. Take care friend and have a blessed week.

Yes, Dina, I am so glad I took so many pictures of it - for posterity, as it were. The sheep who use that field won't have any shade now and it's not as if you can instantly replace such a beautiful tree - there is part of it left but it will never look the same again :(

Dear DebbieOur blackberries don't really start till late August/early September, and they were a little late this year - but they have been very plentiful. We seem to have the geese all year round, or at least it seems that way, there are always some down at the lake making a lot of noise :) You take care too and make the most of your lovely countryside this autumn.

Its always a sad time when I see a downed tree. They take so long to establish that everyone should take advantage and plant a tree in their life, just like your apple tree. So glad you are reaping the benefits of a bumper harvest.

I planted a cooking apple and an eating apple when we first came here over 30 years ago, the trees are huge now. The eating apple particularly gives a wonderful harvest every year the cooker has been slower to produce, but finally has got its act together.

How sad about the grand old oak but, I guess that is the way of nature isn't it ? Beautiful photographs of the lake .... how lovely to have that so close to you....... and, we put our garden furniture away yesterday .... a bit depressing but I shall embrace the Autumn and Winter that is on it's way !! Enjoy your apples Elaine. XXXX

It was a sorry sight to see Jackie I shall really miss seeing my lovely old oak as I turn the corner. Yes, always depressing to put the furniture away, another season finishes, alas. I shall definitely enjoy the apples, there are plenty to go round.

About Me

I am a day dreamer and romantic. I like to write stories and poetry, read a good book, and tend my garden. I live deep in the heart of the countryside and love being surrounded by all that nature has to offer. My camera and journal are never far from my side as I try to record each and every moment of what is important to me.

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The mind I love must have wild places, a tangled orchard where dark damsons drop in the heavy grass, an overgrown little wood ... a pool that nobody's fathomed the depth of, and paths threaded with flowers planted by the mind. ~ Katherine Mansfield